Latest Updates

Two weeks more to go and Prince William and Catherine Middleton will say "I do" at Westminster Abbey. So here are the latest updates on the final preparation I read from the official website of the royal wedding, Daily Mail Online and the Royal Forums (where I am a member). Important information like tiara, the wedding dress and the invited guests will only be known on the day of the wedding.

1. April 29, 2011, Friday is declared a national holiday in Great Britain. For British people, this is somewhat a good news.

2. Some branches of the British Armed Forces are now making final touches of the preparations for the said event. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will be the official escorts of the British sovereign and her family members, the Cavalry officers will ride on the royal carriages, thus, rehearsing their horses for a long walk from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, will be their primary concern. The Royal Air Force, Navy and army will have its own role at the wedding. Members of the military personnel who will serving the event are expected to wear their service uniform.

3. Wedding guests will be treated with two wedding cakes at the reception: Chocolate biscuit cake and a traditional fruit cake. The Chocolate biscuit cake will be served to the guests during the reception at Buckingham palace, Prince William commissioned McVitie's Cake company, which had been doing business with the royal family since the reign of King George V, to do the job. The traditional wedding cake will be a multi-tiered fruit cake, decorated in floral homage to the four nations of the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. William and Kate have chosen Fiona Cairns Ltd of Leicestershire to create their wedding cake, it will be decorated with cream and white icing using elements of the Joseph Lambeth technique with authentic British ingredients.

4. The identities of high profile guests had been kept secret due to security risks but some names are already confirmed, mostly royals, Prince William's godfather, King Constantine II of Greece and his wife, Queen Ana Marie including some of their children and grandchildren, are attending, Constantine's sister Queen Sophia and her husband, King Juan Carlos of Spain with Prince Felipe and his wife, Princess Letizia will be attending, this is partly because, Constantine and Queen Sophia are nephew and niece respectively of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

5. William's Best Man, Prince Harry, as reported by the Daily Mail online (March 31, 2011) already hinted some "naughtiness" on his speech at the reception. He previously revealed that he is planning to prepare a speech that would "break" few ribs of his brother out of embarrassment, a kind of speech that would make "William lose some hair”, he added. But Prince Harry was quick to say that his speech is not very rude because his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, is in attendance and he never dreamed to disappoint his grandmother.

6. Guests are advised to be on the church at 8:30 in the morning. The Queen and her family are expected to arrive at the church at 10:40 while the bride and her father, who will be carried by one of the cars of the royal collection (probably Bentley or Rolls-Royce), will arrive at 11:00 o'clock in time for the ceremony.

7. There will be two receptions. One at Buckingham Palace at 3:00 pm hosted by the Queen another at 8:00 pm at St. James's Palace hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles. Out of the estimated 2,000 invited guests only 600 or less are invited to the reception at Buckingham and only 300 are invited to the reception at St. James's Palace. While in ordinary wedding reception, all guests are invited, in the royal tradition this is not the case.

8. After the ceremony, the couple and the rest of the royal family members will have a traditional wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace. Then the couple will appear on the balcony of the palace for 10 minutes to greet well-wishers and maybe another round of a "kiss" just like what William's parents did in 1981.

9. The Central Band of the Royal Air Force will serenade William and Kate during the signing of register in the church after they will be pronounced husband and wife. The Central Band of RAF is composed of seven trumpeters and one drummer, the wing commander, Duncan Stubbs, will direct the band. The music will last for 30 seconds.

10. Catherine Middleton with her family will spend the night before the wedding at Goring Hotel in London. She will leave there with her father on the day of the wedding and be at Westminster at 11:00 in the morning. According to reports, Kate's parents will pay their bills at Goring Hotel estimated to reach 20,000 pounds.

11. Since Prince William is not yet the heir-apparent, his wedding costs will not be shouldered by the state. Prince Charles will foot the bill with his mother, the Queen, and Kate's parents. The Middletons will pay the bill for their exclusive booking at Goring Hotel, the bride's wedding dress and maid of honor's dress. The British government will only pay the bill for security.

12. Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will provide music during the wedding service at the church: The Choir of Westminster Abbey, the Chapel Royal, the London Chamber Orchestra, the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry. The official Harpist of Prince Charles will serenade the guests during the reception at Buckingham Palace.